


We Deserve to Be Happy

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-05-01
Updated: 2006-05-01
Packaged: 2019-05-15 15:46:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14793371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: CJ makes a mistake about appearances, but receives a lesson from an unexpected source.





	We Deserve to Be Happy

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

Sam Seaborne sat in his office and ran a hand through his short hair.  It was Friday night and he wanted to go home, but he still had quite a bit of work to do.  He had to finish editing a speech the President was to give to the Daughters of Liberty.  It was a good speech-he knew that.  What he wasn’t so sure of was whether or not Toby would agree.  For some reason, he had a feeling that his boss might not like the speech quite as much as he did.

 

            He walked down the hall, hoping to find someone to give him some feedback.  The only other light on in the place was coming from Josh’s office.  He stopped in to say hi to his friend, and see what Josh thought of the speech.

 

            He knocked on the door and went right in.  Josh had his head down on the desk and was snoring. 

 

"Josh!  Hey-Josh!!"

 

"Not now, Donna, I’m working."

 

"Actually, you are not working, you are snoring, and I’m not Donna, I’m Sam."

 

Josh slowly realized where he was, and that it was not his pretty assistant standing in front of him.

 

"What can I do for you there, buddy?"

 

"Well, I just came down to get some feedback on a speech I was working on, but since you are ‘occupied,’ I’ll leave you alone with your ‘work’."  Sam replied.

 

"No, no, come on in.  I was just, er, taking a break," Josh admitted somewhat sheepishly.   
  


"What are you supposed to be working on?" Sam asked.

 

"English as the national language.  I know that Joey is supposed to be handling it, but since she refuses to admit there’s a possibility it may come up, I decided to do a little prep-work of my own."

 

"Don’t tell me Steve Anorato has you scared!  At least he hasn’t unearthed any of your secrets."

 

"By the way, how is Laurie?" Josh asked his friend.

 

"She took the news pretty well, all things considered.  But it’s just not fair.  It’s not like we’re dating or anything-I’m seeing Mallory.  I just can’t believe I can’t be friends with her, just because of a silly little thing like a night job."

 

"Well, Sam, first off, that ‘silly little night job’ is really not that silly, especially to anyone who is vaguely conservative.  Not to mention the fact that there is a chance that if she were to be caught, she would be charged with solicitation.  And secondly, no one said you can’t be her friend, you just can’t be seen with her."

 

"It’s just not right, that’s all I’m saying," Sam sighed in resignation.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

(2 weeks later)

 

            CJ was in her office, preparing her notes for the afternoon briefing.

 

            "Might not want to make that your final copy of the notes," a familiar voice said from the doorway.

 

            "Ah Danny.  I knew you must have been coming-it was just too peaceful here in my office."

 

            "Yes, you could insult me when I am coming to you with something that you are probably going to want to know **before** this afternoon’s briefing," the not-so-mild-mannered reporter said.

 

            "OK Danny, I’ll bite.  What titillating tidbit did you find out today?" CJ asked with more than a little sarcasm.

 

            "Well, since you asked so nicely, I’ll tell you.  There’s going to be a picture in tomorrow’s USA Today featuring a young, good-looking member of the Senior Staff, with a certain law student whose night job is not flipping burgers."

           

            "WHAT?!?!" CJ exclaimed.  "How did this get out?"

 

            "Well, my guess would be the assistant to a certain Republican Senator who does not like campaign finance reform, or what you guys want to do about drugs."

 

            "Dammit!  I better get back to work."

 

            "Ok, just remember who told you, and that you are secretly in love with me," Danny said, with a look of pure innocence on his face.

 

            "Get out, Danny."

           

            "Okey-dokey then."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

"Hey CJ-you sent for me? Don’t you have a briefing in a few minutes?"

 

"Yeah, Sam, I do.  But Danny told me something that I have to clear up first."  CJ took a breath before she continued.  "Does Steve Anorato know about you and Laurie?  More specifically, does he know that you slept with her?

 

"I don’t know exactly what he knows, but that would be a fair guess.  He definitely knows something."

 

"Ok, then.  Now, why didn’t you tell me?"

 

"I didn’t think it mattered whether or not he knew."

 

"Sam!  Are you crazy?  We are talking about a man whose whole agenda is to make us look bad.  Didn’t you think that **maybe** this was something you **might** have mentioned to the Press Secretary, who **deals** with the people who influence what America thinks?"

 

"To be honest CJ, I thought that since I hadn’t done anything wrong, what he had on me didn’t matter."

 

"Sam, we are having this discussion when the President is just recovering from his lowest approval ratings ever.  It doesn’t take much to send them spiraling downward again, especially when hearing that a member of the Senior Staff SLEPT WITH A PROSTITUTE!"

 

"CJ-I-"

 

"Ok, Sam, I really don’t have time to deal with this now.  I have a press briefing to do."

 

Sam stood there, shocked, while CJ stormed out of the office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

            "OK, I’m going to open the room up for questions.  Linda?"

 

            "CJ, what can you tell us about the picture in tomorrow’s paper?"

           

            Danny glanced up to see how CJ would handle this one.  As he did, his eyes briefly met hers.  He wasn’t sure, but he thought that they might have had just a little gratitude in them for giving her the heads-up.

 

            "Well, I’m not sure when it was taken, to be honest.  But it features Sam Seaborne, the Deputy Communications Director, with a friend of his who just graduated from GWU School of Law."

 

            "Did you know that this ‘friend’ as you called her, is a prostitute?"

 

            "Actually, she is not a prostitute, she is a call girl, and yes, there is a difference.  My office is checking on that difference right now."  CJ smiled as a faint chuckle went around the room.  "However, that aside, Sam is just friends with that girl, and as far as I can tell, the Constitution never banned anyone from being friends.  That’s all for now.  At tonight’s briefing I’ll be talking about the reason you are all in this room-the President.  He’s doing some fabulous things, and I’ll be happy to tell you all about them."

 

            "So what fabulous things is the President doing?"  Danny inquired.

 

            "What?"

 

            "You said the President is doing fabulous things, and that’s what you will be talking about in the next briefing.  I was wondering if I could get a heads-up for my paper."

           

            "Oh, well, I’m pretty sure that he is meeting with the Secretary of Defense tomorrow, and there are probably a few meetings with Senators, and he might even take a trip all the way down to Capitol Hill."

 

            "Just wanted us off your back about Sam, huh?"

           

            "That too."  By this time they had both reached CJ’s office.  "Do you mind coming in for a few minutes?" CJ asked, with a slight hesitation in her voice.

 

            "Sure," Danny replied, trying so hard not to get his hopes up.  "What’s up?"

 

            "I just wanted to thank you for the tip this morning.  I would never have been prepared for it otherwise."

 

            "Well," Danny began, trying to keep the mood light, "You don’t have to thank me here.  You can always thank me at dinner tonight," he said, hoping his tone had its normal playfulness.

           

            "I would love to," CJ said, even before she knew she had said it.

 

            "You would?!"  Danny asked, a little increduously.

 

            "Yeah, I would," CJ said, with more confidence in her voice this time.  "I definitely would."

 

            "Great!  I’ll pick you up at 8!"  The little Irish reporter was so ecstatic he nearly did a jig in her office.  "I’ll see you later!"

 

            CJ smiled at his enthusiasm.  He could be so cute, sometimes.  But when Danny left the office, it hit her: What am I doing?  This is wrong.  I shouldn’t be doing this.  I don’t even like him, she tried to convince herself.  Well, maybe just a little, as a smile crept across her face.

 

            "CJ?  CJ??"  A voice broke through her little reverie.

 

            "What?  Oh, hey Sam," she said absent-mindedly.

 

            "Hey Sam?" he asked.  "Are you the same CJ I spoke to just before the briefing?  Listen, I came to apologize.  I was thinking about what you said.  I guess I was so intent on proving that I didn’t do anything wrong, I forgot that so much is based on how it appears, and not how it is."

 

            CJ finally came back mentally to her office.  She had been far away, but she realized that Sam was doing something that was very hard for him.  "Hey, Sam, just let me know next time, ok?  You are right-you didn’t do anything wrong.  I will do my best to make sure that that is the point that comes across.  But I do need your help in that.  I know that it must be hard for you, because you are trying to protect Laurie, but just remember that we all have to work together to protect the President, and that comes first."

 

            Sam smiled.  He knew that he was getting off relatively easy.  He had been told many times, mostly by Toby, that he was incredibly naïve.  Most of the time, he just dismissed it.  But what CJ was saying made sense.  And, he admitted to himself, he was a little naïve.  Most people would realize that to the average person reading the newspaper, it wouldn’t matter whether Sam actually solicited Laurie.  It would be the fact that he knew her.  He smiled a little more, gave another "thank you" to CJ, and left her to wander back into her daydream, whatever it was.  But, having seen a certain reporter leave her office with a brighter-than-normal smile, he thought he could take a guess as to what, or rather who, CJ was thinking about.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

            CJ was just putting on the final make-up touches when her doorbell rang.

 

            "Hey!  You look beautiful," Danny said, giving her a hug as he entered.

 

            "Thank you," CJ said, blushing just a bit.  "I am almost ready, I just need to finish putting on some make-up."

 

            "Trust me, you don’t need any.  But take your time," he said, as CJ went back into the bathroom.  She really did look beautiful.  She was wearing a gray silk skirt that went down just to her knees, and a lovely maroon blouse.  But what Danny could not get over was the fact that he was here at all.

 

            She came down the hall again, this time ready to leave.  "All set?" Danny asked, as he helped her into her jacket.

 

            "Yup, let’s go," CJ replied, a little nervously.  She hoped Danny wouldn’t notice that her voice cracked a little.  She just could not get over the fact that she was actually going on a date with him.  Her mind was taking turns being thrilled to be going out with the guy she had secretly liked for so long, and dreading the possibilities of what could happen.

 

            Danny, however, did notice that she appeared nervous.  He tried to make light of the whole situation: "Hey, don’t worry, I don’t bite.  I’m taking you to a restaurant so that I can bite the food, not you."  He was rewarded for his painfully weak joke with CJ’s soft, beautiful smile.  CJ realized that if she was going out with Danny, a guy she now knew just how much she liked, she might as well enjoy it.  To hell with the consequences, she thought.

 

            Danny had made reservations at I Racchi, an Italian restaurant in Northwest DC.  He knew that she loved Italian food, and, being a guy, he ate pretty much anything.  The setting for the restaurant was perfect-a huge wood-burning oven right in the center.  CJ ordered one of the fish/pasta specialties, and Danny had chicken-something-or-other, as he had called it to the waiter. 

 

            The dinner was highly enjoyable for both of them.  They realized that they had a lot in common, and Danny had CJ laughing throughout the entire meal.  On the way home, CJ was suddenly more subdued.

 

            "CJ-you still with me?  You’ve been really quiet since we left the restaurant.  I didn’t leave you there by mistake, did I?  That would be pretty bad-leaving your date in a restaurant."  He spoke quickly, because he was nervous.  He thought he knew why CJ was quiet all of a sudden.  "CJ- -" he began.

 

            "Danny, this, this…thing…between us…now what?"

 

            "Are you trying to tell me that you are now just realizing there is a thing between us?"  Danny tried to play it off lightly.

 

            "I guess this is the first time I am admitting it," CJ said, more serious than Danny had been. 

 

            By this time they had pulled up at CJ’s house.  CJ looked at him apprehensively.  "We need to talk about this, and we should talk about it now.  Would you like to come in?"

 

            "Well," Danny responded, "With an offer like that, how can I refuse?"

 

            They walked inside the house.  CJ made coffee, and they sat down on the couch.  "Look, Danny, I do really like you.  I had fun tonight.  More fun than I ever remember having.  It’s just that when we go to work tomorrow, you are going to be the White House senior reporter, and I am going to be the Press Secretary.  There’s just no getting around that.  There is also no getting around the fact that that is a definite conflict of interests, whether it is real, or just imagined by the Press Corps.  I spent this afternoon telling Sam that in this business, appearances are just as important, if not more so, than the realities of the situation.  So if this goes any further, how can I go in there tomorrow and do my job like nothing happened?  I just can’t.  I really do want to see you Danny, you know I do.  But I can’t.  I just can’t.  Maybe, in eight years-"

 

            "Hang on a second now.  I listened to this speech.  I even agree with parts of it.  But you are sitting here, telling me you care for me-which, by the way, is something I’ve been waiting to hear for quite awhile now-and then tell me to give you a call in EIGHT YEARS?!  I don’t think so, CJ.  You can’t go out on a date with me, and tell me you want me, and expect me to walk away just because people are upset at some imaginary conflict of interest.  I will not be treated like this.  I deserve more than that, and frankly, Claudia Jean, so do you.  You deserve a man who will treat you with love and respect.  You do not deserve to have your life lived for you by people who are so busy reading and writing about other people’s lives that they don’t have any of their own."  He moved closer to her, and lifted her chin with his hands, so that her eyes met his.  "Did you ever tell Sam not to see his friend?"

 

            "Well, no.  but…" CJ faltered.

 

            "CJ.  Don’t deny yourself the love that you would not take away from others.  Sam has the right to be happy with Laurie. YOU have the right to be happy.  Even if it means being with some scruffy reporter.  But sitting in front of you is a man who loves you, and who will work through with you any problem we may encounter.  If you can tell me that you don’t love me, then I will walk out.  But I will NOT walk out just because of some hypothetical situation."

 

            Through the tears on her face, CJ smiled.  She couldn’t believe that **this** was what she had been denying-denying to herself, to Danny, and to everyone.  Here was a man sitting in front of her who was offering her his world, and his unyielding support.  She realized that Danny was right.  She **did** deserve his love, but more importantly, he deserved hers as well.  "Well," she said, the smile broadening, "With an offer like that, how can I refuse?"

 

            Danny’s look of earnestness melted to a shocked happiness, as the woman he loved threw her arms around him.  He pulled away from her for just a minute, to look into her eyes.  He saw in them a determination to see this thing through, no matter what the press or the American public had to say.  He also saw in them a gentle softness, betraying her love for him.  He leaned forward, and when their faces were just an inch apart, murmured, "I love you, Claudia Jean."  He then kissed her with all the love he felt inside.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

            "Ok, Toby, I see your point.  But these women will probably not want to hear about how they as a group have failed the American people."  Sam was just beginning what he knew would be a long day, and in the middle of what he knew would be a **very** long argument.

 

            "Then why else would we be talking to them?"  Toby never ceased to be amazed by Sam and his idea that speeches were not for berating people.

 

            "How ‘bout because we want them to **vote** for us in 2 years?" Sam replied, more than a little exasperated.  "I mean, telling them what they are doing wrong is probably not the best way to win their hearts and their votes.  Plus, they will enjoy the little anecdotes I have in here.  Anecdotes, which, I might add, took quite a while to find."

 

            "Ok, let’s assume that the reason we are talking to them is to get their votes.  Then, shouldn’t we be telling them how they are wrong, and by voting for us, how we will help them to fix their own, internal, screwed up problems?"  Toby countered.

 

            CJ had been watching from the door for a few minutes now.  She normally enjoyed watching the two battle, and since she was in such a good mood this morning, she enjoyed it even more.  But, she did need to talk to Sam, and she felt that he might appreciate the break.  She cleared her throat loudly, and the two noticed her for the first time.  "I’m sorry Toby, but would I be able to have a word with Sam for a minute?  That is, unless you two are in the middle of something important?"

 

            "NO!" Sam cried at the same time that Toby said, "Yes!  We were!"  Toby, however, yielded, telling Sam, "We’ll finish this later."  Sam kind of groaned as Toby left.

 

            "I have to admit, I’m not sure that getting yelled at by you is going to be any more fun than being yelled at by Toby, but at least it’s a break," said a tired-looking Sam.

 

            "Hey, Sam, it’s still early.  You shouldn’t be tired yet," said a bright-eyed CJ.

 

            "CJ, what’s going on?  Have I got it coming to me that badly that you are excited about it?  I saw USA Today.  Yes, it was bad, but it could have been a lot worse.  I mean-"

 

            "Sam, relax.  Don’t worry about it.  I actually came to apologize to you.  I was wrong to yell at you yesterday, and even though I never told you not to see Laurie, I did imply that it would be for the best.  I just wanted to let you know that I was wrong.  I want you to be happy, and if being with Laurie is what makes you happy, whether just a friend, or as more than that, then go for it.  Just let me know what you want, and we can work the rest out together.  I’m here to fight for you, Sam, not to deprive you of being happy.  You deserve happiness, and I want to work with you to get it."

 

            Sam sat back in his chair.  This was a very different CJ from the one he saw yesterday afternoon.  He was thrilled that she was saying this, but being curious, he really wanted to know why.  "Hey CJ, thanks.  That really means a lot to me.  I promise that I will tell you what I am doing, and I will listen to you to make things easier for the administration.  But, just out of curiosity, what changed your mind?  It wouldn’t have anything to do with a reporter who walked in with a **really** goofy smile on today, would it?"

 

            "Well," CJ began a little uncomfortably, "Let’s just say that I was enlightened last night.  I realized that we all deserve happiness, with or without politics being involved."

 

            Sam smiled knowingly.  "I wish you two the best of luck.  I am very happy for you guys, and I know you will be really happy together."

 

            "Thanks Sam," CJ said as she rose to leave. "Well, I should go, so you and Toby can get back to your war."

 

            "Gee, thanks there, CJ," Sam said dryly.

 

            "See ya later!" CJ sang out.

 

            "What was that all about?" Toby asked, as he came in to resume the argument.

 

            "Oh, CJ now thinks that people should be happy," Sam said with a grin.

 

            "Well, I don’t," said Toby.  "So let’s get back to this.  The Daughters of Liberty don’t need a fairy tale, they need a parable."

 

            Sam just smiled and listened to him.  He now had more important things on his mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Later that afternoon, Sam was just putting the finishing touches on his speech.  In the end, he won most of the arguments, although there were a few anecdotes that had received the axe.  He was still smiling, thinking of what CJ had said to him, and also, of CJ and Danny.  He knew that Danny would treat CJ well, and that he would make her very happy.  He was truly pleased for his friend.

 

Thinking of another friend, he dialed the phone.  "Hey, Laurie, this is Sam.  So, what are you doing this Friday night?"

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*THE END*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

  


  


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